Positive pressure beekeeper suit

ABSTRACT

A protective garment worn be a beekeeper providing positive air flow into the suit and protection from bee stings during wear, the garment provided in full or partial body suit, the positive air flow provided by one or more self-contained power supplies drawing outside air into the garment to cool the wearer and elevating the garment away from the skin at a distance greater than the length of a stinger from a bee, the garment also made from a penetration resistant fabric.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None.

I. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of Invention

A protective garment worn be a beekeeper providing positive air flowinto the suit and protection from bee stings during wear, the garmentprovided in full or partial body suit, the positive air flow provided byone or more self-contained power supplies drawing outside air into thegarment to cool the wearer and elevating the garment away from the skinat a distance greater than the length of a stinger from a bee, thegarment also made from a penetration resistant fabric.

2. Description of Prior Art

A preliminary review of prior art patents was conducted by the applicantwhich reveal prior art patents in a similar field or having similar use.However, the prior art inventions do not disclose the same or similarelements as the present beekeeper suit, nor do they present the materialcomponents in a manner contemplated or anticipated in the prior art.

Numerous suits concern protective garments and air flow in the priorart. They primarily deal with multi-layered fabrics, passive airmovement or self-contained suits to avoid contamination either from theoutside to inside or inside to outside. Three suits dealing with layeredfabrics include U.S. Pat. No. 7,140,048 to Wallerstein, U.S. Pat. Nos.5,357,635 and 5,249,307 to Lemoine, U.S. Pat. No. 4,716,594 to Shannonand U.S. Pat. No. 7,080,412 to Zeiler. The Zeiler patents preventsstings by its thickness and allows for passive air flow to cool thewearer. Primarily it provides a void space defining a central layer. Itlacks active cooling and the fabric is loose. Wallerstein relies onmultiple layers and relies on passive air movement for cooling. BothLemoine patents describe a thick but porous suit to prevent bee stings.Shannon also has multiple layers of fabric to address bee stings anddoes not use positive air flow but a passive air flow through thegarment fabrics. These several patents commonly involve the thick porousfabrics, unlike the thin and tightly woven fabrics of the presentinvention and also do not possess active air flow which creates apositive pressure within the suit to elevated the suit fabric away fromthe skin of the wearer.

Three patents to Parrish involve cooling using evaporative heat loss anddoes not utilize positive pressure or a thin suit materials. It also hasno bearing or utility defining resistant to bee stings or use as abeekeeper suit, nor does it appears to be adaptable for such use. TheseParrish patents are U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,289,695, 5,113,666 and 5,111,668.In U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,395 to Spano, a rigid suit which is inelasticcreates an air void around the wearer allowing for air movement. It doesnot incorporate positive pressure or avoid bee stings. It does involvecooling the wearer.

None of the above prior art define a beekeeper suit, either full body ortorso covering, with positive air flow caused by one or more fansdirecting air from outside into the suit to create a positive pressurewithin the suit to providing cool air into the suit to cool the wearerwhile also causing a partial active inflation of the suit to elevate thefabric comprising the garment away from the skin to prevent penetrationof the stinger of a bee from being able to touch the skin of the wearerin the covered area. There are also HAZMAT suits and space suits whichuse a mechanical air generation system or self contained air to create apositive clean air supply and also to scrub the carbon dioxide fromexpelled air of the user to withdraw moisture and also prevent theexhaled air of the user from contaminating the “clean room” or externalenvironment. These are safety suits to protect the wearer from a toxicor lethal external environment, are quite expensive, and overtly heavyto be a practical replacement for the present beekeeper suit, simplydefined as a thin penetration resistant light fabric with one or morefans to direct air into the garment to create a positive pressure withinthe garment to cool the user and to elevate the garment from the skinusing active air circulation which is not intended for an air supply forbreathing purposes.

II. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Due to increased colony loss, beekeepers are needing to take a moreactive role in hive management. This activity includes breaking aparthives and inspecting bees and their homes for disease or other problems.Hive management becomes more troublesome in late summer and early fall,when bees tend to more vigorously defend their hives and stingbeekeepers during these seasons. The weather is hot and bees havealready lost their crop of honey and are busy trying to restock nectarfor the winter. Beekeepers will more often wear suits during this seasondue to the change in hive behavior often dealing with very hot and humidconditions.

Bee suits are traditionally designed of fabrics that are dense enough toprevent sting, or porous and thick to allow some cooling, but stillprevent sting. Neither outfit helps prevent heat exhaustion when thereis no breeze and it is hot and humid outside. TYVEK is a non porousmaterials that is both wind and moisture resistant. Due to its fiberconstruction, it is difficult for a bee to sting through. However, itretains heat and sweat making the wearer even hotter, yet offers someprotection. Bees have been know to sting through heavy gloves, evenleather. Current bee suits can cost up to $200.00 yet still do not avoidbeekeepers becoming hot and dehydrated over short periods of time.

The present beekeeper suit is intended to provide air flow into abeekeeper suit which provides a positive pressure within the suit,elevating the suit away from the skin and not only providing apenetration resistant fabric, but elevates the fabric at a distancefurther than the length of the bee stinger, so even if a bee were toattempt to sting through the suit, it could no reach the beekeeper. Thesuit is not intended to be permanent, but can withstand repeated wear.It utilizes two or more fans which draw air in from the outside andforces it into the suit through a pair of precut holes, the fans beingremovable and attachable to the pre-cut holes so they may be used witheach suit within which they are installed. The cost is greatly reducedover the more expensive beekeeper suits and should avoid the physicalstrain on the beekeeper during the hot summer and fall periods when thebees are most difficult to tend and manage.

III. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following drawings are submitted with this utility patentapplication.

FIG. 1 is a front view of the upper torso beekeeper suit prior topositive air pressurization.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the upper torso beekeeper suit with positiveair pressurization.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the full body beekeeper suit prior to positiveair pressurization.

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the full body beekeeper suit with positive airpressurization.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view along section lines 5/5 of FIG. 2showing one of the fan inserts attached within the fan cutout portion ofthe beekeeper suit.

FIG. 6 is an expanded view of the fan as installed within the fan cutoutsection of the beekeeper suit.

IV. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

An improved beekeeper suit 10, FIGS. 1-6 of the drawing figures,provides a positive air flow supplied by two or more air fans 70integrating within the beekeeper suit fabric to cool a beekeeper wearingthe suit and to provide elevation of the fabric by inflation away fromthe skin of the beekeeper by the sustained positive air pressureinflating the beekeeper suit 10 with elevation of the fabric away fromthe skin at a distance greater than the length of a bee stinger.

The improved beekeeper suit 10, as shown in FIGS. 1-4, is made from astinger resistant fabric providing a first torso covering embodiment,FIGS. 1 and 2, covering the upper torso and arms of the beekeeper or asecond upper and lower full body embodiment, FIGS. 3 and 4, covering thetorso, legs and arms of the beekeeper, with the exception of the hands,feet and head. An arm section 20 defines a constricted wrist portion 25,a leg section 30 defines a constricted ankle portion 35 and a torsosection 50 defines a neck opening 40 through which the beekeeper's headis inserted with a neck gathering means 55 around the neck, therebysecuring the beekeeper suit tightly around the wrist, ankles and neck ofthe beekeeper for two purposes—cooling of the beekeeper from air flowinto and out of the beekeeper suit and inflation of the fabric providingprotection against bee stings.

Each wrist portion 25 partially retains air pressure within the armsection 20, while each ankle portion 35 partially retains air pressurewithin each leg section 30. The neck gathering means 45 provides partialretention of air pressure within the torso section 50 of the suit. It isnot intended for each ankle portion 35, wrist portion 25 or neckgathering means 45 to completely seal air pressure within the suit, butto restrict air pressure loss so that air loss is slowed at a rate lessthan the air inflow rate from the at least two air fans 70. In mostinstances, the beekeeper will wear gloves, footwear and a beekeeper hoodas they would with any other beekeeper suit. Air pressure loss throughthe wrist, ankle or neck would only benefit the beekeeper further, byproviding some degree of air into the gloves, footwear and hood. Therestricted air loss also evacuates moisture build-up from sweat withinthe suit. The air should be constantly refreshed while the air fans 70are active.

The beekeeper suit 10 further defines a torso opening 52 in the upperand lower body embodiment, including a torso opening seal means 54,defining a zipper or other air tight seal, placed in the suit to providethe beekeeper with the ability to step into the upper and lower bodybeekeeper suit 10 and seal the suit themselves. A front closure of theair tight seal means 54 is recommended from the area above the legssections 30 to the neck opening 40, FIG. 3. For the upper torsobeekeeper suit embodiment, the bottom of the beekeeper suit 10 would betucked into the pants of the wearer and provided as a pullover, FIG. 1,or possibly including a torso opening seal means.

The primary improvement to the beekeeper suit 10 lies in the provisionof a positive air flow means, which is provided by the inclusion of twoor more shaped fan cutout portions 55, each cutout portion 55independently securing a respective self-contained air fan 70 whichforces outside air into the beekeeper suit 10 to achieve the positiveair pressure within the garment and inflate the fabric. This positiveair flow not only cools the beekeeper and evacuates moisture build upwithin the suit, but the positive air flow elevates and inflates thesuit away from the skin of the beekeeper during wear and operation ofthe two or more fans 70.

The selection of the best material suited for the beekeeper suit 10 isimportant and should be chosen to resist a bee stinger penetration. Thismaterial would be a tightly woven fabric that resists air loss and isfluid resistant, with the fabric to include a polyester, TYVEK or othertype fabrics meeting these physical characteristics, including DYNEEMA®,ballistic nylon, luggage grade nylon, canvas, rubberized fabric,military vinyl, coated mesh, neoprene or stretchable suede, keeping inmind that the beekeeper suit is meant to be thin enough so that it doesnot add discomfort of the beekeeper over other suits or restrictmovement. The air-tight seal means 54 is best presented as a zipper orzip-lock feature as indicated in FIG. 3. Unsuitable choices for thefront closure would be snaps, buttons, clips or other closures thatcould leak air.

For the upper torso beekeeper suit, FIGS. 1 and 2, the bottom of thesuit would be tucked into the pants of the wearer, but would include theconstricted wrist portion 25 which could define hook and loop adjustableclosure, an external button or snap, elastic gathering sewn into theconstricted wrist portion or other diameter reducing device which allowsthe wrist portion 25 to be tightened to minimize air loss. Likewise, thefull body suit would include the same constricted wrist portion 25 andthe constricted ankle portion 35 similarly presented. As to the neckopening 40 and the neck gathering means 45, the neck opening 40 mayinclude a standard collar, a mandarin, a Nehru collar or a banded collarseen in other shirt garments, with the neck gathering means 45 alsoincluding elastic, hook and loop fabric or other type reductionapparatus which reduces the neck opening 40, but does not create anuncomfortable fit that cold restrict breathing of the beekeeper.

The placement of the at least two fan cutout portions 55 fitting the airfans 70, FIGS. 2 and 4-6, would be anywhere in the torso section of thegarment. FIGS. 2 and 4, illustrate placement side-by-side in the back ofthe garment for illustration purposes only. Placement of the fan cutoutportions 55 could alternatively be in the front and back, lateral sides,both in the front, or high and low. These fan cutout portions 55 wouldbest include stitching reinforcement or a double fabric section aroundthe perimeter of the fan cutout portion 55. Each fan cutout portion 55should be slightly smaller than an outer diameter of the air fans 70being installed in each fan cutout portion 55, FIG. 5, for a proper sealwithout air loss around each installed air fan 70 or between theinstalled fan 70 and the fan cutout portion 55.

Each air fan 70 connects to a low voltage self-contained battery powersupply 76, and further defines a motor 72 driving a rotating fan bladeassembly 74, each motor 72 ideally found to be approximately 5 watts forample operation, similar to those used in inflatable costumes. Each lowvoltage battery power supply 76 may include AAA or AA batteries, flatdisc batteries, a rechargeable power supply or a USB connector forinclusion of a larger batter pack for longer operation. Each air fan 70would have a power switch 78 to turn each air fan 70 on an off.

As shown in FIG. 5, each air fan 70 defines a front plate 80 and a rearplate 85 which fasten together around their respective perimetersforming an air-tight seal, with the fan cutout portion 55 being sealedbetween the front and rear plate perimeter, with each front plate andrear plate being larger than the size and shape of the fan cutoutportions 55, or with the fan cutout portions being smaller in size andshape to the assembled front plate 80 and rear plate 85. Each air fan 70would further contain a fine mesh barrier 82, FIG. 6, to prevent theintrusion of a bee, yet still provide unrestricted air flow through thefront plate 80, FIG. 6, or the rear plate 85. The mesh barrier 82 shouldbe no greater than 8 mesh per inch to prevent wasps or bees fromentering the suit through the fan.

Each air fan 70 directs air from the outside of the beekeeper suit 10 tothe inside with sufficient velocity and air movement capacity to createthe optimal operational positive pressure within the beekeeper suit 10causing the beekeeper suit 10 to inflate at a greater rate than any airloss sustained through the combined constricted wrist portion 25,constricted ankle portion 35 and the secured neck gathering means 45. Ithas been found that the air fan having a diameter or dimension ofbetween 2 and 5 inches with the 5 watt motor works most efficiently toprovide the proper optimal quantity of air flow into the beekeeper suit10. The fans 70 can easily be installed and removed in the event thebeekeeper suit 10 becomes worn or torn, so that the fans 70 can beremoved and placed in another fresh beekeeper suit 10. It iscontemplated that the beekeeper suits 10 may be provided as disposableand the air fans more of a long term item, thus making it commerciallyfeasible to provide the beekeeper suits for sale with multiple suits ofsimilar or different sizes and two or more fans provided forinstallation into the multiple disposable suits.

The airflow of the illustrated embodiments of the improved beekeepersuits 10 and two or more air fans 70 provides the primary improvementover prior beekeeper suits by the inclusion of the positive pressureairflow into the air leak resistant and penetration resistant fabricbeekeeper suit for improved airflow and cooling to the beekeeper whilealso pressurizing the suit to expand the suit away from the skin of thebeekeeper, creating a dead space between the suit and the beekeepergreater than the length of the stinger of a bee or wasp. While theinvention has been particularly shown and described with reference to apreferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled inthe art that changes in form and detail may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An improved beekeeper suit providing a positiveair flow within said improved beekeeper suit made from a stingerpenetration resistant fabric comprising: a torso section defining a neckopening with a neck gathering means; two arm sections defining arespective wrist portion; two or more cutout portions within said torsoportion; and a self-contained air fan integrated within each saidrespective cutout portion directing outside air into said improvedbeekeeper suit, wherein said wrist portion and said neck gathering meansare constricted to reduce air loss from said torso section and said armsection while said air fans inflate said improved beekeeper suit to coola wearer and also to elevate said fabric away from said wearer at adistance to avoid stinger penetration by an insect.
 2. The improvedbeekeeper suit of claim 1, each said self-contained air fan furthercomprising: a motor, a fan blade assembly, a low voltage internal powersupply, and a power switch; a front plate removably attaching a rearplate and a wire mesh, said front plate and rear plate further securingwithin each said respective cutout portion of said torso section,wherein each said cutout portion is smaller than each said front andrear plate of said air fan, with each said air fan being replaceablewithin said cutout portion providing each said air fan to be installedin more than one beekeeper suit in the even said beekeeper suit becomesdamaged or torn.
 3. The improved beekeeper suit of claim 1 wherein saidfabric is selected from a group of penetration resistant materialsincluding polyester, TYVEK, DYNEEMA®, ballistic nylon, luggage gradenylon, canvas, rubberized fabric, military vinyl, coated mesh, neopreneor stretchable suede, keeping in mind that the beekeeper suit is meantto be thin enough so that it does not add discomfort said beekeeper orrestrict movement.
 4. An improved beekeeper suit providing a positiveair flow within said improved beekeeper suit made from a stingerpenetration resistant fabric comprising: a torso section defining atorso opening with an integrated seal means, a neck opening with a neckgathering means; two arm sections defining a respective wrist portion;two leg sections defining a respective ankle portion; two or more cutoutportions within said torso portion; and a self-contained air fanintegrated within each said respective cutout portion directing outsideair into said improved beekeeper suit, wherein said ankle portions,wrist portion and said neck gathering means are constricted to reduceair loss from said torso section and said arm section, said integratedseal means prevents air loss through said torso opening and said airfans inflate said improved beekeeper suit to cool a wearer and also toelevate said fabric away from said wearer at a distance to avoid stingerpenetration by an insect.
 5. The improved beekeeper suit of claim 4,each said self-contained air fan further comprising: a motor, a fanblade assembly, a low voltage internal power supply, and a power switch;a front plate removably attaching a rear plate and a wire mesh, saidfront plate and rear plate further securing within each said respectivecutout portion of said torso section, wherein each said cutout portionis smaller than each said front and rear plate of said air fan, witheach said air fan being replaceable within said cutout portion providingeach said air fan to be installed in more than one beekeeper suit in theeven said beekeeper suit becomes damaged or torn.
 6. The improvedbeekeeper suit of claim 3 wherein said fabric is selected from a groupof penetration resistant materials including polyester, TYVEK, DYNEEMA®,ballistic nylon, luggage grade nylon, canvas, rubberized fabric,military vinyl, coated mesh, neoprene or stretchable suede, keeping inmind that the beekeeper suit is meant to be thin enough so that it doesnot add discomfort said beekeeper or restrict movement.
 7. The improvedbeekeeper suit of claim 3 including any other element as disclosedwithin the specification or drawings.